Weighted Average Guide for Students

Learn how weighted averages work, calculate your university GPA with credits, and plan your target grade

How Weighted Averages Work

A weighted average gives more importance to some grades than others. Instead of treating every assignment equally, each grade is multiplied by its weight before averaging. The formula is: Weighted Average = (grade₁ × weight₁ + grade₂ × weight₂ + ...) ÷ (weight₁ + weight₂ + ...) For example, if a midterm worth 30% scores 76 and a final worth 50% scores 92, the final contributes more to your overall grade because it carries more weight.

$Weighted average formula with colored weight bars showing contribution of each assignment$

Each assignment's contribution depends on both its grade and its weight

In the Grade Calculator, switch to "Weighted Average" mode to enter multiple assignments with individual weights. The calculator validates that your weights add up correctly.

Try this example →

University Weighted Average with Credits

At Italian universities, each exam has a credit value (CFU — Crediti Formativi Universitari). These credits serve as the weights for calculating your overall average. Exams with more credits count more toward your final grade. Example with three exams: • Mathematics: 28/30, 12 CFU → 28 × 12 = 336 • History: 25/30, 6 CFU → 25 × 6 = 150 • Physics: 30/30, 9 CFU → 30 × 9 = 270 Weighted average = (336 + 150 + 270) ÷ (12 + 6 + 9) = 756 ÷ 27 = 28.0/30 This is higher than the simple average (27.67) because the highest grade (Physics, 30) and the most-weighted exam (Mathematics, 28) pull the average up.

$Italian university weighted average example with CFU credits$

Three exams with different CFU weights producing a weighted average of 28.0/30

In the Weighted Average mode, enter each exam name, your grade (on the trentesimi scale), and the CFU credits as the weight. The calculator handles the rest.

Planning Your Target Average

Use the Final Grade Calculator mode to find out what score you need on an upcoming exam to reach your target average. Enter your current weighted average, the weight of the next exam (its CFU credits as a percentage of your total), and the average you want to achieve. The calculator tells you the minimum grade you need. If the required grade exceeds the maximum (30/30), you know you need to improve on multiple exams instead of relying on a single one.

Remember: your graduation base score is calculated as (weighted average × 110) ÷ 30. Even a small improvement in your weighted average can mean several points on the 110 scale.

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